


my song within my songs

by thismagichour



Series: Bad Things Happen, but It'll Turn Out Okay [7]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Bad Things Happen Bingo, Canon-Typical Violence, Compelling Voice, F/M, Mind Control
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-15
Updated: 2019-01-15
Packaged: 2019-10-10 20:13:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17432768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thismagichour/pseuds/thismagichour
Summary: Post-Vecna, Vox Machina still gets together occasionally to wipe out a villain or two. Until one of those villains realizes what an asset smooth-talking Scanlan Shorthalt might be.For the prompt "Compelling Voice" for Bad Things Happen Bingo





	my song within my songs

**Author's Note:**

> It turns out that every time I write Scanlan the fic turns out much longer than I mean it to be. Anyway, another Bad Things entry under my belt, another day of no beta.

There are a few things you need to know about Scanlan Shorthalt. One - his name, because he’s actually a very big deal. Two - he’s the leader of Vox Machina, yes, _that_ Vox Machina, yes, he _will_ sign autographs. But really, the most important thing you know about Scanlan Shorthalt is this - absolutely no one can outtalk him.

If Scanlan has said it once he’s said it a thousand times - things always go to shit when Pike isn’t around. Even after they’re married, and only go adventuring occasionally to let Grog get some exercise and to meet up with their friends, she’s not always able to make it, because apparently being a chosen of Sarenrae requires more work than the chosen of Ioun. Scanlan always offers to stay, but Pike never lets him. Grog shouldn’t have to go alone, she says. Don’t let her ruin the fun, she says. _Sure_ , Scanlan thinks, as a meteor swarm comes down on all of their heads, _tons of fun_. This mage is insane, certainly, but that doesn’t stop him from having a cult of several, frankly, insane followers. All of them are extremely high level spell casters, and Vox Machina is great and all but mass damage isn’t exactly their strength as a whole. Grog can crumple one into the ground, sure, but only one at a time. Vex and Percy continue to pick them off as they come but again, not en masse. Which leaves him and Keyleth, and he’s never meant to be a damage dealer. Which leaves Keyleth, who’s already gone through a shape change and is bleeding pretty bad. It’s fine. Another thing you need to know about Scanlan Shorthalt is that he’s kind of a genius. He’s just going to have to think of something really clever to save all of their asses again, because he is running out of counter spells. Things always go to shit when Pike isn’t around. 

The problem with being one of the most powerful spell casters on the continent is that occasionally, people notice. Not often, as he is rather small in stature and no one thinks that someone so handsome would ever be as powerful as he is. Most of the time, he can stay in the back and do his thing. Not always. Being killed by a dragon twice certainly puts that into sharp perspective. They’ve all grown since then, and never let it be said that Scanlan doesn’t learn from his mistakes. Eventually. But you can really only counter spell so many fireballs and earthquakes and fingers of death before you start to piss off a spell caster. He’s learned that lesson before. Unfortunately, in this case, he doesn’t really have much of a choice. So when this insane mage ( _insane in the membrane_ , Scanlan thinks, nonsensically, _he should use that_ ) turns his eyes to Scanlan, Scanlan is ready. And then everything goes blank for a while.

 

Percy would consider himself a betting man, and he doesn’t like his current odds. They simply weren’t prepared, and he’s partly to blame. Technically, mostly to blame, but that certainly isn’t a new feeling. Down the scope, he sees that Keyleth is in very bad shape, despite still having another shape change in her, Vex’ahlia is spending a majority of her energy on her instead of shooting. Grog is Grog, he is mowing through as best he can, but bless his heart, he’s not very bright and a lot of casting is his weakness. He’s stunned, he shakes it off eventually, he’s paralyzed, he shakes it off eventually, he’s afraid, he runs, he shakes it off, he turns around. There’s nothing that Percy can do except try to distract the caster of whichever spells Grog’s under at the moment. And Scanlan, well. He’s performing with the same dignity as always. Until he isn’t. He counters yet another spell from The Mage and then Scanlan just stops. The Mage cast something that Percy didn’t recognize, but he was certainly going to look up later. The battle rages around him, and Scanlan doesn’t flinch, doesn’t blink, doesn’t move. As Percy aims his shot directly at The Mage’s head, The Mage looks up and makes direct eye contact. When The Mage speaks, it is amplified in a way that tells Percy that he’s not far enough out of range, not by a long shot. 

“ _I suggest you not move again until I tell you so_ ,” The Mage says, his voice reverberating in that way that suggests power and magic and all sorts of things that Percy loves in his friends and hates in everyone else. Percy wills his finger to pull the trigger. It doesn’t.

 

“Now,” this dude says, once everything comes back, “now we can have some fun.” Scanlan looks around, and sees everything frozen. Even the blood running down Grog’s…everywhere seems to stopped. He’s not sure exactly how much time he’s lost, or how hurt everyone is, or even what he’s doing here. He reaches for the words, for the song to cast, and the maniac laughs.

“I wouldn’t, if I were you,” he says, like a cat that’s caught the canary.

“Everyone does wish to be me, true,” Scanlan says, wistfully. He can hear Grog laugh a little between gritted teeth. That’s something, at least. He stands a little taller.

“Now, now, no talking, not for you,” the dickhead says, and lifts a finger languidly. Scanlan opens his mouth to counter, but he’s too slow. Pain erupts in every muscle. It’s like fire and ice and acid at once. He tries to shrug it off, to shake free, but he isn’t strong enough. He’s died before, and that was better than this. He tries to move, but only manages a few staggering steps away.

“ _Everybody hurts,_ _sometimes_ ,” Scanlan tries, clenching his jaw, which is not great singing technique, but all he can manage while he feels like he’s being flayed. He feels minutely better, but not enough to -

“ _None of that now_ ,” the guy says, sounding like an asshole, by the way, and then everything in Scanlan goes empty. All of his stress, his pain, his tension, floats away. The grief that has taken up permanent residence in his heart evaporates. He straightens up. The Mage is in his head, and that’s actually kind of nice. The Mage actually is making sense, when you think about it. Scanlan smiles, and it’s the first time it’s been genuine directed at someone that isn’t Pike in a very long time. Huh. Pike isn’t here. He does wish Pike were here.

“Absolutely delightful,” The Mage says. Scanlan notices how pleasant his voice is for the first time. “Anyway, I think… _you all can speak now, but only speak, understand_?” 

“Fuck you, you dick,” Vex spits immediately. Scanlan frowns, because there’s no need to be nasty to a man that’s just trying to help, and he can already see Percy covering a smile. Those two, honestly.

“What a firecracker,” The Mage says, and he raises his hands to his followers, who all laugh on command.

“Our Goliath friend there is going to crush you like so much jam,” Percy says, calmly.

“And I’m gonna put you on bread,” Grog says.

“Let’s not get too excited. There’s only two of you who are a threat at all, and it’s not any of you. I suppose you know that. Your druid is cute, by the way. Very powerful, but _so_ boring,” The Mage says, strolling casually to frozen-in-place Keyleth, running a finger along her jaw, “we get it, you love nature, you can turn into a dragon, blah blah. But the only one of any interest here is your very charming friend.” As The Mage turns around, Scanlan can see Keyleth fighting the spell, her teeth clenched, determined. That’s probably not good for any of them. It occurs to him, a little late, that The Mage was complimenting him. It is nice to be recognized. He smiles again and looks to his friends, but they don’t seem to be as pleased as he is. The Mage approaches, and Scanlan lets him.

“I’ve never been much of a singer, admittedly, but I have been told I have a silver tongue, what do you think?” The Mage says. Scanlan doesn’t answer, because it’s obvious and also because he doesn’t realize The Mage is actually talking to him until it’s too late.

“Are you really going to monologue? Can’t you just kill us and get it over with?” Vex says.

“I believe that’s my line,” Percy says to her.

“Whatever, this is boring,” Grog huffs.

“The problem, darling gnome, is that none of your friends have any respect,” The Mage continues, as if he hadn’t stopped speaking, booping Scanlan’s noise, “and while I was just going to keep you and let them go, it seems that you’re just going to have to _end them being cruel_ , I’m afraid.”

“That’s too bad,” Scanlan says, and turns to Grog.

“Scanlan,” Grog says, “Scanlan, come on.”

“Don’t worry, bud,” Scanlan says, placing a hand on Grog’s stiff knee, “because _we are the champions, my friend, and you’ll be feebleminded till the end.”_

_“_ Scanlan!” Vex yells, as Grog goes even blanker than before. Grog drops to his knees, The Mage’s spell ended, but Scanlan doesn’t see that being a problem.

“He’s very good,” The Mage says, “it’s a shame you silly creatures don’t appreciate his true talent.”

“Gods, you really are an insufferable stereotype, aren’t you?” Percy says. The Mage doesn’t deign to respond, but Scanlan gathers that Percy should be the next one to stop talking.

“ _Hush little Percy, don’t say a word, and never mind that noise you heard.”_

“Scanlan, stop it now,” Percy says, over the top of him, but he doesn’t falter.

_“It’s just the gnome under your bed, in your closet, in your head,_ ” Scanlan sings, and Percy crumples like paper.

“Scanlan Shorthalt, you better snap out of it right the _fuck_ now,” Vex says, as he turns to her. He doesn’t have that many spells left.

“I wish I could sing. It would make everything so much more fun,” The Mage says, a little longingly.

“You know what I can do?” Keyleth says, and both Scanlan and The Mage notice her, at last, “I can turn into a fucking dragon.” And actually, she is one. The Mage doesn’t even have time to pale before Key-dragon crunches him. Everything drops back on Scanlan at once, the grief, the stress, the guilt, and the weight of it is so much that it takes him to his knees. He presses his palms against his eyelids. Things always go to shit when Pike isn’t here.

“Percy!” Vex says, “Scanlan, what the fuck did you to do to him?”

“Eyebite,” he says, dully, “he’s just asleep. Not even, anymore.” The dragon roars, and he hears more than sees the various followers popping out of existence with all the magic they have left. Some seem to not have the ability and take to fleeing on foot.

“I’m fine, darling,” Percy says, foggily.

“Can someone fix Grog, please? I can’t take him back to Pike like this.” Scanlan says, unmoving. He presses his hands so hard into his eyes that he sees stars. No one answers him, but he still doesn’t look up. He doesn’t have the spells to help anyone any more, he only has a few low level healing spells that frankly, he needs to use on himself. He opens his mouth to cast and nothing comes out. He can’t. Grog’s familiar hands scoop him up into a hug. That does force Scanlan to open his eyes.

“Hey, Grog,” Scanlan says, only to see that Grog’s still in the throes of his spell. Grog’s most basic instincts are to hug him, and that only makes him feel worse. He pours his healing spells into Grog instead, and he doesn’t sing. He mimics Pike’s _feel better_ and leaves it be. Grog’s arms squeeze him tighter.

“Ow, bud, okay, ow,” Scanlan says, squirming to escape Grog’s grasp, but he knows it’s a futile effort.

“Here, Scanlan,” Keyleth says, no longer a dragon, placing her hands on Grog’s elbow. He can feel the awareness come back to Grog’s body as he loosens his grip a little.

“Are you alright?” Grog says, lifting Scanlan up to eye height. That’s Grog’s first question - is Scanlan alright? Scanlan forces himself to smile instead of grimace.

“Let’s go home,” Scanlan says.

 

The problem with being one of the best liars on the continent is that occasionally, people notice. Not often, because that comes with the territory of being a liar, but his friends know him better than anyone. By the time him and Grog stumble through the door of their shared home, Pike is waiting, and it’s clear she’s already been told what happened. She takes each of them by the hand, and leads them to the kitchen, where she heals both of them up. She sends Grog away to wash up, and she just looks at Scanlan. Scanlan holds a minute under her gaze, and crumbles. He tells her everything, just like he always does, and she listens, just like she always does. She puts him back together. She asks him to sing, and he does.

There are only a few things you need to know about Scanlan Shorthalt. One - his name. Two - he’s the leader of Vox Machina, mostly because he could so easily kill any of them, just ask him about the time he nearly did. But really, the most important thing you need to know about Scanlan Shorthalt is this - he’s married to Pike Trickfoot, who is, without doubt, the best part of him.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm gonna get pedantic here for a second, bear with me. Or don't. Instead of writing up my next sessions for the campaign I'm DMing, I did a ton of research on mind control spells and high level sorcerers, only to really LOOSELY follow the definition of those spells anyway. For anyone wondering, that was a Mental Prison followed by a Mass Suggestion followed by a Power Word Pain followed by a Dominate Person. The Dominate Person was definitely the loosest one in there. Scanlan, of course did a Healing Word, Feeblemind, Eyebite, Healing Word again. You'll see in other entries that both Pike and Jester use the phrase "feel better" to cast healing word, I don't know where this idea came from but I like it and I'm gonna keep it, dammit. Also the idea that all of VM, especially Keyleth, would fail a wisdom save is insane, let me have this.
> 
> ANYWAY can you believe how much Scanlan and Pike love each other? BYE
> 
> Actually, catch me @calebwidogasts on tumblr as I push through the rest of the Bad Things Happen Bingo. Okay, now bye


End file.
